1873 in Belgium
# 1873 in Belgium

Events in the year 1873 in Belgium.

## Incumbents

    Monarch: Leopold II
    Head of government: Barthélémy de Theux de Meylandt

## Events

* 13 January
   * Convention with The Netherlands for building water defences on the Zwin comes into effect.
   * Treaty with The Netherlands for the building of a railway line from Antwerp to Mönchengladbach over Dutch territory ("Iron Rhine Treaty") signed in Brussels.
* 18 May – Law allowing the formation of limited liability companies.
* 29 June – Mass demonstration in support of the right of Jozef Schoep, labourer, to use the Dutch language to register his child's birth.
* 10 July – Paul Verlaine shoots at Arthur Rimbaud, slightly injuring him.
* 8 August – Paul Verlaine sentenced to two years in prison for injuring Arthur Rimbaud with a fire arm.
* 23 July – Commercial treaty with France.
* 17 August – Law allowing the use of Dutch in courts of law.
* 27 December – Formal opening of Brussels Stock Exchange.

## Publications

* Ministry of Public Works, Chemin de fer de l'état. Postes – Télégraphes. Compte-rendu des opérations pendant l'année 1872 (Brussels, Fr. Gobbaerts).
* Henri Guillaume, Histoire des bandes d'ordonnance des Pays-Bas (Brussels, Académie Royale)
* Jules Helbig, Histoire de la peinture au pays de Liège
* Émile de Laveleye, Des causes actuelles de guerre en Europe et de l'arbitrage
* Eugène Van Bemmel, Patria Belgica: Encyclopédie nationale, vol. 1 (Brussels, Bruylant-Christophe & Cie., 1874)

## Art and architecture

### Buildings

* Léon-Pierre Suys, Brussels Stock Exchange
* Concert Noble ballroom, Brussels

## Births

* 9 February – Maurits Sabbe, man of letters (died 1938)
* 28 February – Georges Theunis, politician (died 1966)
* 17 June – Clara Ward, Princesse de Caraman-Chimay (died 1926)
* 23 July – Marie Janson, politician (died 1960)
* 25 July – Henri Meunier, graphic artist (died 1922)
* 26 July – Pierre Nolf, scientist (died 1953)
* 16 September – Alfred Bastien, painter (died 1955)
* 14 December – Joseph Jongen, composer (died 1953)

## Deaths

* 30 January – Emile Pierre Joseph De Cauwer (born 1828), painter
* 5 May – Albert Goblet d'Alviella (born 1790), politician
* 6 June – Ignatius Josephus van Regemorter (born 1785), artist
* 1 December – Augustin de Backer (born 1809) Jesuit bibliographer
* 9 December – Martinus Dom (born 1791), abbot of Westmalle
